


The Adventures of Ten-Magnus

by charivari



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Holoform(s), Lost Light stupidity, M/M, Magnus smiles, Mistaken Identity, Ten being adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 08:24:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4557600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charivari/pseuds/charivari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten gets an avatar holoform. It's Ultra Magnus. Stuff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Adventures of Ten-Magnus

**Author's Note:**

> Because Ten is a cutie and his avatar would definitely be Magnus.

Ultra Magnus had taken it upon himself for Ten to receive an avatar holoform.

"Why?" Brainstorm had asked, "I mean I can do it - I'm just curious why it's necessary."

"Ten is a member of this crew," Magnus had answered, "Therefore he has as much right as anyone else to have an avatar. Especially if he ever participates in shore leave and the situation warrants the use of an avatar for safety purposes..."

"Okay, okay," Brainstorm cut in, "No need to go all lecture mode."

He went about fixing Ten an avatar, completing neural scans and programming. The Legislator beamed excitedly throughout the whole process. He was still smiling as the avatar took shape around him.

Magnus found himself staring at an almost perfect doppelgänger. Almost due to the fact the Magnus-avatar was smiling. _  
_

"Why is he... me?"

"Because he admires you I guess," Brainstorm answered, "Why is your avatar that human femme?"

Magnus didn't answer. He continued to stare at the happy Ten-Magnus. It unnerved him a little, seeing himself so openly expressive. But he remembered it was Ten beneath the holoform and Ten smiled quite a lot.

"I suppose it's fine for a test avatar," he said, "Though such a form isn't going to be very effective on anti-Cybertronian worlds."

"I guess not," Brainstorm sighed, "You want me to tweak it?"

"Ten," Ten-Magnus uttered unhappily, "Ten."

Magnus was a little surprised to hear the repetition coming from his mouth, in his tone of voice. But Brainstorm had mentioned the avatar would have no effect on Ten's communication level.

Still, Ten's protest was rather self-explanatory in spite of it.

He wanted to keep being Magnus.

Against his better judgement, Magnus didn't have the spark to deny him.

"Alright," he told Ten, "You can be me for a little while. But then you have to go back to being Ten."

Ten-Magnus nodded ecstatically,

"Ten."

Magnus quickly considered the implications of what he had just permitted.

"It would confuse the crew to see two Magnuses together," he said aloud, "If you're going to walk around, it's probably best I'm elsewhere."

Ten-Magnus' smile faltered,

"Ten."

"I have reports to finish anyway," Magnus tried to reassure him, "Brainstorm will look after you."

"Brainstorm?" the weapons specialist spoke his own designation in protest.

"You created the programming," Magnus told him firmly, "You should be present to make sure there are no faults or glitches."

Brainstorm ex-vented,

"Fine, I was heading to Swerve's anyway."

"Then you can take Ten..." Magnus corrected himself, "Ultra Magnus."

"And if anyone asks the reason I'm hanging out with the ex-Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord?"

"I'm keeping an optic on you."

"Ah that makes sense," Brainstorm said, "Apart from the fact 'Magnus' here has a permanent grin on his face."

Magnus grimaced. Ten-Magnus was still smiling blissfully.

"I was getting to that. Ten, if you're going to be me, you need to be a little less..."

"Animated, cheerful, smiley?" Brainstorm supplied.

Magnus shot him a sharp look before ex-venting,

"Yes I suppose. I'm not known for smiling Ten."

With some difficulty Ten managed to straighten Magnus' mouth into a firm line.

"That's better," Magnus said approvingly, "Also maybe not speak. I think it would give the game away. Besides I'm not much of a talker."

"Unless someone's breaking the law," Brainstorm pointed out.

"Given Ten is not me, he has no authority as TIC," Magnus said, missing the point of Brainstorm's joke, "But if you do see someone breaking the law Ten, I expect you to let me know so I can take appropriate action once you're back to your original self."

"How is he going to tell you?" Brainstorm scoffed.

"He'll draw me their picture," Magnus answered.

Brainstorm was silent a moment.

"Touché," he said before shrugging, "Well Ten, I mean, Ultra Magnus, let's hit the bar huh?"

"Ten," Ten-Magnus said enthusiastically.

His expression turned sheepish when the real Magnus lifted a finger to his lips.

"Ten," he said apologetically before mimicking Magnus' action.

Magnus nodded,

"Have f-f..." he still struggled with that little word, "F-f-oon."

It wasn't quite right. But it was a better result than the previous times he'd attempted to say it.

Brainstorm laughed,

"Sure, we'll have foon."

Magnus waited until he and Ten-Magnus had left before trying the word again.

"F-f-ooaahhuh. Oh forget it."

He didn't have time to waste on Rodimus-type words. He had real work to do. Speaking of which, Rodimus hadn't lodged his weekly report. Magnus pinged him an urgent reminder as he made his way towards his office.

**

Not smiling proved rather difficult for Ten. He was so overjoyed with his avatar. Several times on the way to Swerve's, Brainstorm had to remind him that he was smiling.

Ten did his best to concentrate. Magnus didn't smile. His lips were always a straight line.

Straight line. Don't smile. Don't talk.

When they reached Swerve's, Ten seemed to have perfected his Magnus expression.

But then he saw all the mecha he liked. Tailgate, Skids, Rung.

Not smiling at them was very hard.

Ten felt his mouth quiver, wanting to lift.

He looked away from his favorites. That made it a little easier. His mouth set back in a straight line.

He followed Brainstorm to the front of the bar. Took a seat next to him.

"Brainstorm, Ultra Magnus," Swerve greeted them, "Didn't expect you guys to enter my bar together. It's not 'Hang out with your opposite day'?"

"Yeah totally," Brainstorm breezed, "Didn't you get the memo?"

Swerve frowned,

"There was a memo?"

"I'll have a Blue Titan," Brainstorm said by way of response.

"Sure," Swerve said, "One Blue Titan-without-poison coming right up."

"Without any poison you know of," Brainstorm said before raising his hands, "Joke. No hard feelings."

"No hard feelings," Swerve echoed, "A paying customer is a paying customer."

"And I am a paying customer," Brainstorm said, "Look at my two shiny shanix."

He held them up.

"Blue Titans are twelve shanix."

"Oh," Brainstorm pushed the shanix across the table, "Take those two and put the rest of my tab, oh gracious barkeep."

Swerve subspaced the shanix with an ex-vent.

"I suppose two shanix is better than nothing. It's a wonder this bar even functions with all the complimentary drinks I give out."

"You could always _make_ Rodimus pay for his drinks," Brainstorm said.

"He's the Captain," Swerve protested, "He shouldn't have to pay for his drinks. It's a... a mark of respect."

"You mean hero worship," Brainstorm quipped, "You know Rodimus is great and everything. But he didn't build a fully functioning time machine."

"He didn't poison my engex either," Swerve said, smile noticeably absent, "You're paying full price for life, buddy."

"Aw shucks," Brainstorm affected a disappointed tone, "Guess I'll have to build more wrenches and get paid more than two shanix. Speaking of which, where is my Blue Titan?"

"Yeah it's coming," Swerve said, "Hold your tailpipe."

He glanced at Magnus, who had been quiet this entire exchange,

"And I guess you'll want your usual... woah!"

His look of shock surprised Ten. The Legislator suddenly realized his mouth had curved upwards. He quickly reverted it back into a straight line.

"Woah what?" Brainstorm asked.

"Magnus was _smiling_!"

"Pfft yeah right," Brainstorm scoffed, "Magnus doesn't smile. Swerve, you're glitching."

"I am not glitching," Swerve protested, "Magnus was..."

"Yo Magnus," a loud voice cut over Swerve, "You big hypocrite."

Rodimus came bounding over. He tapped a finger on Magnus' chestplate.

"You're pinging me about my stupid report while you're relaxing at the bar? Shame on you."

"He's Magnus, he doesn't relax," Brainstorm chuckled.

"He doesn't smile either," Swerve muttered.

Rodimus paid no attention to Swerve's comment,

"Swerve, my usual," he said, sliding into the unoccupied seat on Ten-Magnus' left, "And before you start in on me Mags, I totally did my report, I just, uh, misplaced it somewhere. This is me backtracking to all the places I might have left it."

Swerve had Rodimus' drink made and ready in a flash.

"Here you go Rodimus," he pushed it towards him, "FYI, there's no datapads in the lost and found. Ten mighta seen it but he's hardly in the bar these days."

He shot Ten-Magnus a resentful look. Ten-Magnus felt the urge to give him a reassuring smile. But Swerve had been shocked by his first smile and Magnus had told him not to. He forced his lips to stay straight. 

"Swerve, my Blue Titan," Brainstorm reminded him.

Swerve complied with a soft grumble. Rodimus took a large gulp of his drink.

"So what are you doing here Mags, if you're not 'relaxing'?"

"He's supervising me," Brainstorm said.

"Heh, is that so?" Rodimus leaned towards Ten-Magnus, "Should I be jealous?"

Ten wasn't sure how to react. Rodimus-Captain was pressing against his arm. He was smiling at him. Ten very much wanted to smile back.

But he couldn't, didn't, and it made him sad to have Rodimus-Captain frown.

"What, are you giving me the silent treatment?" he complained, "Mags, I told you, I lost the report. Legitimately, accidentally, lost my report."

He pawed at Ten-Magnus' arm,

"Don't be mad, big guy, don't be mad at Roddy. Give me a smile."

It was an order Ten couldn't refuse. Rodimus-Captain was in charge. He shot him a big smile.

Rodimus gave a yelp of surprise and toppled off his stool.

"Primus!"

"Ha I knew it!" Swerve said exuberantly, "I told you he was smiling!"

"Still waiting on my drink," Brainstorm said as Rodimus scrabbled to his feet.

He shook Ten-Magnus by the arm,

"Magnus, what. The. Hell. You're. Smiling!" he exclaimed, "It is Nanocons? Someone comm First Aid."

Ten's smile receded somewhat. He didn't understand. Rodimus-Captain had told him to smile.

Now the entire bar was staring. They all looked worried.

Ten didn't know how to reassure him. Other than smiling.

That only made things worse.

"Holy slag."

"Now I've seen everything."

"Magnus smiling. It's the end of the world people."

"He's finally cracked. It's the smile of death."

"Swerve, my drink," Brainstorm spoke calmly above the chaos.

"Primus, do I have to do everything," Rodimus drowned out Swerve's retort, "I'll comm First Aid. No wait, I have a comm coming through. Let me just... Magnus?"

He froze, staring at Ten-Magnus in confusion. Finally he spoke. To the Magnus over the comm.

"Magnus, _shut up_ about the report. You're here in the bar and you're smiling. Answer me that!"

"He's an imposter," Whirl shouted gleefully, "Let's kill him."

That was enough for Ten to break Magnus' other rule.

"Ten," he cried out in alarm, "Ten. Ten."

"Whirl wait," Rung grabbed hold of the rotary's arm, "It's Ten. It's an avatar."

"Won't know unless I shoot him."

"Whirl," Rodimus ordered, "Back the frag down. It's Ten. Magnus confirmed it himself."

"Of course it's Ten," Brainstorm said affably, "The real mystery is why it's taking so long for me to get my drink."

"Hello, Magnus smiling," Swerve retorted, "You expect me to make your drink while that was happening?"

A beat.

"Yes."

Ten-Magnus was still watching Whirl fearfully. But the rotary shrugged Rung off and returned to his seat. The way he slouched suggested disappointment.

"C'mon Ten," Rodimus-Captain's hand was on his arm, "Let's take you to Magnus. He isn't exactly happy you flashed everyone his smile."

Ten hung Magnus' helm miserably. He had let the real Magnus down.

"Don't worry," Rodimus assured him as they left the bar, "He likes you too much to stay mad. Same with yours truly. We're his favorites y'know."

Rodimus' words comforted Ten. He gave him a small smile. This time Rodimus didn't react with shock. He shot him a smile back.

"At least it's distracted him from my report. I'll let you in on a secret, I didn't really lose it. You can keep a secret can't you Ten?"

Ten nodded, smile broadening.

"Ten."

Magnus had told him to draw a picture of anyone who broke the rules.

But Ten liked Rodimus-Captain.

So he would keep his secret from Magnus. Just this once.

"Don't know why Mags is so fussy about smiling," Rodimus said, "When you get over the complete terror of seeing it, it's actually kinda nice."

"Ten."

Ten continued to smile. It was nice smiling with Magnus' mouth. But he liked Magnus the way he was, regardless of whether he did or didn't smile.

"You know this avatar of yours opens up some interesting possibilities," Rodimus went on, "I mean, fragging Mags is one thing. But two. Primus, the very idea of it is hella sexy. Or Mags as Minimus and you as Mags. I'm gonna talk to Mags about it when we get there. Trust me, he'll forget all about scolding you the second I bring it up."


End file.
